‘Crash’ slams into B.O. exclusives’ lead slot

NEW YORK — Fine Line’s “Crash” careened to the top of the exclusives roster in its first weekend. David Cronenberg’s study of auto eroticism piled up $137,529 in 10 accidents on both coasts.

Paramount’s 25th anniversary re-release of “The Godfather” won the No. 2 slot on the list with grosses of $64,385 at two baptisms in Gotham and Los Angeles.

Trimark’s “Kama Sutra” was the third most popular limited-release film. It brought home $54,952 in six trysts in New York and L.A.

Fine Line’s “The Quiet Room” had a subdued debut in Gotham with grosses of $5,879 on one screen.

Island Pictures’ “Mandela” bowed on both coasts. The docu about the leader of post-apartheid South Africa rang up a modest $3,158 in two playdates.

CFP’s “The Daytrippers” expanded from New York to L.A. The film’s West Coast debut of $11,649 was less than half of its East Coast gross of $26,670.

Several Oscar-nominated films showed strength in the final weekend before the Academy Awards. Among them were October’s “Breaking the Waves” and “Secrets & Lies,” Metromedia’s “Prisoner of the Mountains” in Los An-geles, Miramax Zoe’s “Ridicule” in Gotham and Miramax’s “Kolya” on the West Coast.

The following are the weekend grosses of films playing on a limited number of screens in New York and Los An-geles.

Los Angeles

“Crash” (Fine Line) bowed to $19,748 at the Laemmle Sunset 5, $7,633 at the AMC Century 14, $7,499 at the Laemmle Monica, $5,786 at the United Artists Westwood and $3,277 at the United Artists Marina Del Rey.

“Secrets & Lies” (October) climbed 75% to $9,311 in its sixth at the AMC Fine Arts.”

“The Daytrippers” (CFP) bowed with $7,047 at the Laemmle Sunset 5 and $4,602 at the Landmark Samuel Gold-wyn Pavilion.

“Kama Sutra” (Trimark) rose 32% to $3,594 in its fourth at the Cineplex Beverly Center, and declined 38% to $3,275 in its fourth at the Landmark Samuel Goldwyn Pavilion and 31% to $3,179 in its fourth at the AMC Santa Monica 7.

“Waiting for Guffman” (Sony) dropped 23% to $5,735 in its fifth at the Landmark NuWilshire and 34% to $4,247 in its fifth at the Cineplex Odeon Beverly Center.

“Boys Life 2″ (Strand) gave up 29% to $7,913 in its third at the Laemmle Sunset 5.

“Smilla’s Sense of Snow” surrendered 42% to $5,032 in its fourth at the AMC Century 14 and 34% to $2,837 in its fourth at the Cineplex Beverly Center.

“Kolya” (Miramax) gained 13% to $5,914 in its ninth at the Landmark Samuel Goldwyn Pavilion.

“Lost Highway” (October) slipped 23% to $4,852 in its fifth at the Laemmle Sunset 5.

“Ulysses Gaze” (Fox Lorber) bowed to $4,527 at the Landmark NuArt.

“The Graduate” (Strand re-issue) sunk 29% to $4,474 in its second at the Laemmle Royal.

“Breaking the Waves” (October) picked up 11% to $4,464 in its 13th at the AMC Santa Monica 7.

“Ridicule” (Miramax Zoe) sacrificed 4% to $3,311 in its 16th at the Laemmle Music Hall.

“Prisoner of the Mountains” (Metromedia) gained 7% to $2,551 in its seventh at the Landmark Samuel Goldwyn Pavilion.

“The Eighth Day” (Gramercy) dropped 46% to $2,125 in its third at the Laemmle Music Hall.

“Margaret’s Museum” (Cabin Fever) fell 47% to $2,003 in its second at the Cineplex Beverly Center.

“When We Were Kings” (Gramercy) decreased 34% to $1,807 in its sixth at the AMC Century 14.

“Jerusalem” (First Look) surrendered 65% to $1,626 in its third at the Landmark Samuel Goldwyn Pavilion.

“Mandela” (Island) bowed to $1,538 at the Laemmle Music Hall.

New York

“Crash” debuted with $32,819 at the City Cinemas Angelika, $20,033 at the City Cinemas Sutton, $19,559 at the Cineplex Odeon Regency, $12,308 at the United Artists Criterion Center and $8,867 at the Loews Orpheum Sevenplex.

“Kama Sutra” slipped 24% in its fourth at the Sony Lincoln Square. It brought home $11,823 in its first at the Loews Village Sevenplex. and $10,519 in its first at the City Cinemas 1, 2 and Third Avenue.

“Smilla’s Sense of Snow” melted 26% to $11,176 in its fourth at the Cineplex Odeon Beekman, 46% to $11,019 in its fourth at the Sony Lincoln Square, 19% to $10,004 in its fourth at the Loews 19th Street East and 21% to $8,619 in its fourth at the City Cinemas Angelika.

“Secrets & Lies” climbed 37% to $19,036 in its 26th at Lincoln Plaza, and 22% to $9,640 in its fifth at the Cine-plex Odeon First and 62nd Street. It gave up 6% to $8,748 in its sixth at the Quad.

“The Godfather” bowed to $31,891 at the Loews Astor Plaza.

“The Daytrippers” gave up 12% to $14,055 in its third at the City Cinemas Angelika and 13% to $12,615 in its third at Lincoln Plaza.

“Kolya” dipped 3% to $13,100 in its ninth at Lincoln Plaza and increased 2% to $8,244 in its fourth at the City Cinemas Village East.

“When We Were Kings” slipped 19% to $10,639 in its sixth at the Sony Lincoln Square and rose 4% to $10,159 in its second at the Loews 19th Street East.

“Lost Highway” fell 25% to $10,124 in its fifth at the Loews Village Sevenplex and 2% to $4,142 in its second at the Cineplex Odeon 34th Street East.

“Breaking the Waves” surged 26% to $8,252 in its 12th at the City Cinemas Eastside Playhouse and $4,428 in its first at the Quad.

“Boys Life 2″ fell 24% to $12,672 in its third at the Quad.

“Hamlet” (Sony) gave up 16% to $9,993 in its second at the Loews Paris.

“Waiting for Guffman” surrendered 5% to $8,525 in its eighth at the City Cinemas Angelika.

“Prisoner of the Mountains” declined 13% to $8,133 in its eighth at the Lincoln Plaza.

“Le Samourai” (Artificial Eye) lost 28% to $6,034 in its fourth at the Film Forum.